17 cyclists from New Zealand and Australia will embark on a challenging 500-kilometre ride, circumnavigating Viti Levu, over four days, to raise funds for the Cure Kids Fiji Oxygen Project.
The 17 include fifteen cyclists from New Zealand and two from Australia.
This year's Cure Kids Fiji500 is proudly supported by Mastercard.
Cure Kids Fiji says since its launch in 2017, the Fiji500 bike adventure has raised over $400,000, and the goal for this year is to raise over $100,000, with current fundraising efforts already surpassing $94,000.
They say these donations directly support the Cure Kids Fiji Oxygen Project, which aims to supply life-saving oxygen concentrators and equipment to healthcare facilities across Fiji.
Cure Kids Fiji CEO Frances Soutter says cycling 500 kilometres is a significant endeavour, and they are immensely grateful to their dedicated cyclists for embracing this challenge and raising substantial funds to support the Cure Kids Fiji Oxygen Project.
She says with the generous support of Mastercard and the dedication of their riders, they are surpassing their fundraising goals, which will have a profound impact on children’s health in Fiji.
Cure Kids Fiji Board member Reuben Tucker, who will lead the team of seventeen riders, expressed enthusiasm about restarting the event after a pause due to COVID-19.
Tucker says supporting the Cure Kids Oxygen Project is deeply meaningful, given its profound impact on young lives in Fiji.
He says the return of four riders from the 2017 event underscores how special this initiative is in making a real difference, while also offering a unique opportunity to explore lesser-known parts of Fiji.
Cure Kids Fiji Oxygen Project was launched in 2016 due to the prevalence of respiratory conditions such as severe pneumonia, which are major causes of mortality among children and newborns in Fiji. Each year, over two hundred children under the age of five succumb to pneumonia and related newborn illnesses. Providing oxygen to children with severe pneumonia reduces the risk of death by 35 percent.
The 500-kilometre ride will start tomorrow.
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